About
BRIEF HISTORY
​
In 2009, after residing in the United States for over 20 years and my wife Lucky for over 9 years, we made our first visit to our home country of Liberia. The country was in severe ruin due to the brutal 14 years of civil war. Life was miserable for ordinary Liberians, even for animals.
I consistently hear a small voice in my mind saying, “the people are in need – lots of needs, you can do something.” Lucky also was troubled by the level of suffering from the children and the elderly. Both of us literally teared up. We then started seeking God’s direction about how to impact the lives of the people, especially in the rural areas where the needs were greater, due to lack of accessibility to city areas where basic needs were being provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
In March 2010 & 2012 respectively, Lucky and I visited Liberia again. The country was still in complete devastation. Our hearts were still broken for the huge suffering ordinary people, including children and elderly were going through, and we were burdened with the desire to get involved in the rebuilding of lives and communities in Liberia.
Upon our return to the United States, we started helping with food, medicine, clothes, and footwear.
In 2014, While visiting Liberia again, the deadly Ebola virus struck the country and its neighboring Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Ebola epidemic made the already bad situation worse. It was during this time that God directed us to a holistic (humanitarian and faith-based) mission, including building hand pump wells for safe drinking water, school, medical assistance, feeding, and planting churches.
In 2017, we established Abehinnyuen Community of Hope, Inc., both in New York and Liberia, which is legally registered as a not-for-profit corporation, which is a twofold holistic (humanitarian and Faith-based) organization that
seeks to proclaim and embody the gospel of love in every aspect of life. As a holistic organization, it engages the whole person (spiritually, physically, and relationally) with the whole gospel. Worship, discipleship, and fellowship intersect with good life choices, meaningful vocation, a healthy family, and good character. By bringing together word and deed, the holistic Abehinnyuen Community Of Hope organization invites people to experience God’s transforming love more fully.
​
Abehinnyuen Community of Hope, (ACOH) Inc. is a Not-for-profit [501 C 3] Corporation established June 1, 2017, for Humanitarian and Faith-based purposes for vulnerable communities in the U.S.A and Liberia, respectively.
​
"A" stands for ah, and it means "we" in the Bassa language of Liberia.
"behiin" means "can", and "yuen" in Bassa means "do it", which is a combination of three words [Ah behiin nyuen] and it means "we can do it".
​
IN USA
We assess the needs and barriers of new immigrants, and offer them information, referrals to resources, and help them with health education, immigration and linguistic services to enable them to become independent contributing members of the community by teaching skills and promoting cross-cultural understanding.
​
We provide high-quality interpretation and translation services in Bassa, other Liberian and West African Languages, and English to government and non-governmental agencies. We also train interpreters.
We support and assist youth in their search for employment by providing training in resume/cover letter preparation, interviewing skills, local labor market and career transition, career counseling and referrals to existing resources for other employment-related assistance. ​ ​
​
We intend to provide awareness of tropical and non-tropical diseases to hospitals and healthcare agencies.
​
We promote police & community relations through the teaching of civic rights and responsibilities by encouraging youth participation in police auxiliary, and community participation in the affairs of local government.
​
We network with other charitable, religious, and civic organizations.
​
IN LIBERIA
The organization is organized exclusively as a not-for-profit for charitable, religious, social and educational purposes here in the Republic of Liberia as provided for in the Liberia Business Registry and the Liberia Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding provisions of any future Liberia business law. Such purposes include but are not limited to:
​
We provide hands-on education to buttress the existing educational structures in Liberia by establishing quality Christian-based academic and vocational institutions.
​
We train teachers and provide in-service teacher-training to upgrade existing teachers.
​
​We train pastors and Church workers by providing in-service training to become authentic in their witness and services to God’s people.
​
We plant (spiritual, humanitarian, and Bible-based) and maintain healthy churches.
​
We promote health & wellness of “at-risk” people, including those who are physically challenged, or who have other special needs through educational programs and community involvement.
​
We provide psycho-social and psychoactive substance abuse services for vulnerable children, youths and adults who have a history of illicit drug use and substance abuse challenges through rehabilitation and re-entry programs.
​
We promote community connections and security through police & community relations by teaching civic rights education and responsibilities, and encouraging youth participation in police auxiliary, and community participation in the affairs of communities and local government.
​
We provide capacity-building that will enable vulnerable children, adults and the elderly to attain their fullest potential and become responsible, engaged citizens, mentors and leaders of their communities and societies. In our capacity-building program (which is in formal and informal education settings), we identify potential leaders in any career or vocation of choice, prepare and support them to fulfill their individual goals.
​
We network with other charitable, religious, and civic organizations. The organizations we network are referred as our affiliates or associates. Our Affiliates or Associates unify under our one statement of faith, mission and vision, and one set of guiding principles. Each Affiliate remains independent but related and no financial contribution is required from an affiliate or associate. We delighted in connecting independent churches\organizations to our network where they discover they are not alone in ministry.
​
All church ministries, organizations, regardless of denomination, which believe in and adhere to the principles, nature, and purpose of ABEHINNYUEN COMMUNITY OF HOE (ACOH), INC. may make application to become a part of the organization.
Local church ministries or organizations that qualify for affiliation will receive a membership certificate identifying them with Abehinnyuen Community of Hope (ACOH), Inc. These certificates are renewable annually on a calendar year basis. ACOH, Inc. offers the following certifications for church ministries/organizations:
​
AFFILIATE CHURCH MINISTRY/ORGANIZATION:
Your church/organization does not have its own not-for-profit organization’s articles of incorporation certificate/501(c) (3) and is not affiliated with another organization. This grants the affiliate church/organization the use of the Abehinnyuen Community of Hope Inc. 501(c) (3) status.
What we require for affiliation:
Incorporation of the church, bylaws in accordance with the Affiliation package and organizational minutes. Abehinnyuen Community of Hope, Inc. will provide minimum Church Constitution & Bylaws in the event it will be necessary.
​
ASSOCIATE CHURCH MINISTRY/ORGANIZATION:
Your church/ is incorporated and has its own articles of incorporation certificate/501(c) (3).
What we require for the association:
Furnish a copy of the Constitution & Bylaws, certificate of incorporation and Resolution Form to ACOH. Your Church or organization maintains its own articles of incorporation certificate/501(c) (3).
​
RE-AFFILIATED CHURCH MINISTRY/ORGANIZATION:
Your church or organization is affiliated with another church or organization and is operating under its tax-exempt status or. Includes assistance in disaffiliation with the current organization. Re-affiliation also brings the church under the tax umbrella of Abehinnyuen Community of Hope, Inc.
We also require any church or organization wanting affiliation to have at least one person be licensed or ordained through us.
We believe all human beings can embrace who they are,
can define their future, and can change the world.
Our Mission
Our Primary Mission in the USA
Is to share the GOSPEL of LOVE through IMMIGRATION assistance and LINGUISTIC – Community interpreting (translation & interpretation) services by educating, assisting with permanent resident card and naturalization for U.S. citizenship forms, and do interpretations, where needed; we do advocacy and to provide awareness in tropical and non-tropical diseases to hospitals and healthcare agencies in the US in Bassa and other Liberian Languages. We also train other nationalities to become interpreters to help facilitate community services.
We make available information, referrals to resources and to teach skills and promote cross- cultural understanding to enable the vulnerable immigrants, as well as other vulnerable people become independent, contributing members of the community and society.
​
Our Primary Mission in Liberia
Is to share the GOSPEL of LOVE through providing academic and vocational ( Agriculture, Basic Nursing, Basic Journalism) education, health & wellness, sanitation, rehabilitation & reentry, advocacy and humanitarian services, that will enable vulnerable people to attain their fullest potential and become responsible, engaged citizens and leaders of their communities and societies.​
​